What would you do about the heifers?

[BARNSCOOP]

I sell freezer beef. Half my calves this year were heifers. I sold all but one because I culled their moms with them and have one heifer left. The same day they sold we bought back replacement bulls, to steer ,at the stockyard. I don't like to do this because I hate to open my herd and plus I want crossbred calves, what I raise, not an unknown. My problem is that I have a small farm and the cattle are rotationally grazed. They have to be kept in one group other than an acre lot set aside for grain finishing. Can I keep my heifers and give them some sorta shot so they wont be bred before they are 18-19 mths old? Will I loose alot of gain by finishing heifers verse steers? and if I can give them a shot will this compromise any Natural Beef practice?

 

[mnmtranching]

When feeding/graining cattle for butcher they should be separated from the non fed cattle. So keep your heifers away from bulls. Yes, heifers will feed out as efficiently as the steers.

 

[BARNSCOOP]

I do separate them to grain them out but I only grain out for two months and they are 16-17 mths old when I start. So, my question is if I kept the heifers could I give them a shot(s) that will keep them from getting pregnant until I grain finish without compromising the natural beef aspect? How long does the drug stay in the system.

 

[dun]

Most surefire way other then keeping them separate is to have the vet spay them

 

[LoveMoo11]

I don't think there is a wonderdrug to keep them from getting pregnant. If there is, someone please tell me haha. Heifers aren't as efficient as steers but they aren't too far behind-I don't think you will lose a lot of money by feeding out heifers but they mature more slowly than steers and will require more feed in the long run.

 

[jerry27150]

check with your feed supplier, i think they have an ingredient you can add to the grain mix to keep heifers from cycling.

 

[dun]

check with your feed supplier, i think they have an ingredient you can add to the grain mix to keep heifers from cycling.

MGA - melengestrol acetate

 

[dieselbeef]

i will trade you all the steers you want for yer hiefers....how we gonna werk the shipping

 

[dun]

i will trade you all the steers you want for yer hiefers....how we gonna werk the shipping

How big of a car do you have?

 

[dieselbeef]

aahhahahahaa..thatll hafta be a rental sir!
gary

 

[msscamp]

Can I keep my heifers and give them some sorta shot so they wont be bred before they are 18-19 mths old? Will I loose alot of gain by finishing heifers verse steers? and if I can give them a shot will this compromise any Natural Beef practice?

I don't know of any shot that will keep them from cycling, but spaying them wure will. Around here it costs about $5.00 per head and, depending on your vets expertise, you could stand to lose one or two of your heifers. The upside is that the remaining heifers won't be cycling. Spaying won't compromise your Natural Beef practices, either.

 

[mnmtranching]

Can I keep my heifers and give them some sorta shot so they wont be bred before they are 18-19 mths old? Will I loose alot of gain by finishing heifers verse steers? and if I can give them a shot will this compromise any Natural Beef practice?

I don't know of any shot that will keep them from cycling, but spaying them wure will. Around here it costs about $5.00 per head and, depending on your vets expertise, you could stand to lose one or two of your heifers. The upside is that the remaining heifers won't be cycling. Spaying won't compromise your Natural Beef practices, either.

Around here it's $200 for a Vet visit to the farm. Spay cost? I don't think I could get a Vet to do anything for 5 bucks.

 

[msscamp]

Can I keep my heifers and give them some sorta shot so they wont be bred before they are 18-19 mths old? Will I loose alot of gain by finishing heifers verse steers? and if I can give them a shot will this compromise any Natural Beef practice?

I don't know of any shot that will keep them from cycling, but spaying them wure will. Around here it costs about $5.00 per head and, depending on your vets expertise, you could stand to lose one or two of your heifers. The upside is that the remaining heifers won't be cycling. Spaying won't compromise your Natural Beef practices, either.

Around here it's $200 for a Vet visit to the farm. Spay cost? I don't think I could get a Vet to do anything for 5 bucks.

Damn! :shock: I'm sure glad I don't live in Mn! The usual fee for a farm visit at my vet clinic is $25.00, and one of them doesn't charge at all most of the time. If I were to call in a vet from Scottsbluff, Nebraska(60 mile trip, one way), the fee would be $100.00, and that's assuming it was an after hours farm visit. I guess that is the difference between living in a primarily agricultural state and one that has a significant amount of big business.